HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper totally reinvents the bassinet

Waiting for someone to build a better bassinet? Well exciting news, expectant parents: HALO, creators of those cozy, fool-proof sleepsacks we love, is launching a bassinet called the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper, and trust me when I say it’s a game-changer.

(Get it? Bassinet + Nest? Bassinest.)

Now I will say that when I had my first baby last summer, I was showered with tidbits of new mom advice, one of which was not to buy a bassinet no matter how adorable I thought one would be. I was told that a bassinet would take up too much room (a hot commodity where we lived), delay sleep-training, deprive me and my husband of those precious zzzz’s, or was just plain unnecessary. Maybe you’ve heard the same? Well, I’m confident that if the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper had been around when I had my son, those moms would’ve been singing a different tune. Because it’s way more than a mere bassinet.

Suitable for use from birth up to five months–or 30 pounds, but I wouldn’t put an infant who can pull himself up in any bassinet–the HALO Bassinest allows your newborn to sleep as close to you as you want while staying safely in his own space. With an adjustable stand and a kick-ass 360-degree swivel motion that you can use to slide your baby literally next to you, he will always be within reach without you having to get out of bed, or wherever you decide to spend the first few months of motherhood.

Kind of like what Stokke did for strollers, bringing the baby up near you, HALO seems to be thinking the same.

As a c-section mom myself and someone who will likely have another one this fall, the HALO Bassinest would have been a godsend after my first delivery, especially during those first few weeks of recovery when my body was still trying to remember it used to have abs. I love that the side wall of the bassinet lowers easily so you can soothe your baby from bed and that the mesh sides allow you to see your baby clearly without moving a muscle.

Sorry if I sound like the world’s laziest mom, but hey, even if you delivered your baby au natural, I think you’d agree that every little break helps during that often trying recovery period.

As if the 360-degree swivel and collapsible side weren’t awesome enough, the HALO Bassinest also comes equipped with a nightlight, two levels of vibration, three fairly mellow lullabies, three nature and womb sounds, and a nursing timer which automatically shuts off, all in one handy, easily accessible control panel.

It includes a cushy pad and a machine-washable fitted sheet for baby to sleep on. There are mesh pockets on either side of the bassinet for storage. Personally, I’d keep extra diapers, wipes, onesies, and a changing pad sheet tucked into those pockets or nearby and voilà–bassinet and changing station in one.

If I had one quibble with the HALO Bassinest, it’s that the footprint of the bassinet stand is rather large, so just keep that in mind if extra space isn’t something you have in spades. Oh and the stand is heavy! Which I guess is reassuring in terms of sturdiness, but I definitely enlisted my husband for assembly help. We’re also a little divided here about the look of the button panel; the Bassinest itself is so beautifully designed, and then there’s this big set of buttons that remind you of something off a mainstream baby swing.

Still, its merits way outweigh any challenges. Whether you’re breastfeeding, practicing co-sleeping, or you have your own child-rearing philosophies, chances are you’re keeping your newborn nearby for at least the first few months. So do yourself a favor and at least check out the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper when it hits stores in August. Or if you’re already itching to get your hands on one, it’s available for pre-orders right now.